Cantaloupe Listeria outbreak death toll up to 28

The death toll in the Listeria outbreak linked to contaminated cantaloupe has risen to 28.

According to a Reuters report on an update from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the updated mark is three higher than the last communication with the agency. A total of 133 people in 26 states have become sick after eating cantaloupe grown and distributed by Jensen Farms.

In September, Jensen Farms issued a massive recall on its Rocky Ford brand whole cantaloupe. In some cases, the cantaloupe was cut and sold individually wrapped or as part of other fruit mixes and salads by grocery stores and other retail establishments.

While all of the affected product has been unavailable for up to six weeks, federal officials have indicated for just as long that they expected more cases to accumulate through the month of October. Some cases needed to be confirmed but also, Listeria bacteria can “hibernate” in the body and present symptoms up to a month after first ingesting it.

This is the deadliest Listeria outbreak in more than 25 years in the U.S. Victims have ranged in age drastically. The outbreak has also been blamed for a pregnant woman’s miscarriage.

Food and Drug Administration investigations have revealed the likely source of the outbreak, filthy conditions inside Jensen Farms’ packing and processing facility near its farm in Colorado. Traces of the bacteria linked to this outbreak were found throughout the facility and FDA inspectors noted a lack of adherence to safety and hygiene standards which likely led to the widespread contamination.

Listeria poisoning, obviously, can be deadly. Early symptoms of infection include nausea, dizziness, severe headaches, joint and muscle pain, vomiting and diarrhea. Symptoms affect children, the elderly and pregnant women most severely. Up to 90 percent of the victims of this outbreak have required hospitalization for the treatment of the infection.